Half-Day Tea Ceremony and Zenkoji Experience Tour

Designed to provide guests with an intimate yet entertaining understanding of Nagano’s near-1,400-year-old Zenkoji temple, this half-day group tour combines a guided experience and a unique fire ceremony at the temple as well as a traditional tea ceremony, sampling of local dumplings, and even ‘sake’ tasting.

Highlights

• Learn the mysterious yet captivating story about why Zenkoji Temple is one of my most important temples in Japan via a guided walking tour and even a ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony.
• Immerse yourself in a tea ceremony while learning the art and performance of this authentic Japanese experience.
• Indulge in Nagano’s traditional food culture including its famous ‘oyaki’ dumplings and award-winning ‘sake.’
• All guided by a locally-based, English-speaking guide.

Want to join this tour from Tokyo? It’s easy to do! Scroll to the bottom for our FAQs including train services that you can use to join the tour!

Description

The tour begins at Nagano Station at 12:15, where your guide will greet you and begin your pilgrimage walk along the ‘Omotesando’ – the historic main road of Nagano – toward your ultimate goal of Zenkoji, first stopping at the small, but beautiful temple of Saiko-ji. Dedicated to Jurojin – one of Japan’s ‘shichifukujin’ or ‘7 Lucky Gods’ – Saiko-ji is the ideal place to begin your exploration of Nagano, a temple town known for its traditional food culture and the longevity it affords. Indeed, Jurojin is associated with long life and will point you toward your next stop and first tasty treat of the tour – ‘oyaki’.

‘Oyaki’ dumplings are made from fermented buckwheat dough and rice powder, filled with all manner of vegetables, fruit, or ‘anko’ bean paste. Simple, healthy, and tasty, they are baked on an iron pan over a raised fire, an experience you’ll enjoy for yourself as they are baked for you before enjoying them as a simple lunch. From there you head to nearby Imanishiki Sake Brewery, for a memorable ‘sake’ tasting experience. Find out why Nagano Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading sake brewing areas, while tasting of some of the region’s best ‘sake.’

Only a short walk away from the brewery, begin your guided tour of Zenkoji Temple. Your guide will reveal its storied history and secrets, while also explaining the role of Buddhism in Japan in an enjoyable and engaging way as you head toward the site of the ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony. The burning of prayers in the sacred flame imbues the experience with a deep spirituality and is often found to rid participants of their immediate, worldly concerns. Whether you are a practicing Buddhist or seeking a memorable and meaningful experience while in Japan, ‘goma’ prayer will leave a deep and lasting impression on you.

After some free time around the temple and surrounding shops, it is time for one of the most classic Japanese experiences: the tea ceremony. Known broadly as “sadō,” or a system of etiquette for the serving of tea by a host to a guest to promote wellbeing, mindfulness, and harmony. The tea ceremony is very important in Japanese culture because it used to be practiced only by the elite Buddhist monks and noble warlords for most of history. Only a short walk away from the temple, you will have the chance to immerse yourself in a tea ceremony while learning the art and performance of this authentic Japanese experience.

Your tour concludes, where your guide will say their goodbyes, leaving you to enjoy more time around the temple or walk back to Nagano Station or your accommodation.

MEETUP POINT

NAGANO STATION @ 12:15

NOTES

Included

• English-speaking guide
• Guided tour of Zenkoji and ‘goma’ prayer fire ceremony
• Simple lunch of two oyaki 
• ‘Sake’ tasting
• Tea ceremony experience

Excluded

• Transport fees inc. Shinkansen / ‘Bullet Train’ to/from Nagano City
• Additional food, snacks & drinks
• Entry to other paid attractions at Zenkoji (Kaidan Meguri, Sanmon, etc.)

Other Information

• This is a group walking tour and there may be other guests joining the tour. It involves a reasonable amount of walking and is suitable for anyone of reasonable fitness. Should you be booking in the summer months of July to September, please be aware that the weather is likely to be hot – between 30°C/86°F to 40°C/104°F – with high humidity. Given the nature of the tour, much of your time will be spent walking so please come prepared for those conditions. Your guide will, of course, respond to the conditions and endeavor to keep things as cool as possible by extending your time indoors and in the shade. For guests booking in the winter months of December to March, the weather is likely to be cold – between 0°C/32°F to 10°C/50°F and as low as -10°C/14°F at night – with likelihood of snow, so please plan accordingly.
• This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travelers. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
• As this is a walking tour, it is advised that you do not bring any luggage or large bags with you on the tour. Unneeded luggage can also be stored inside lockers located nearby the meetup point in Nagano Station.
• Included in the tour price, you will be offered two ‘oyaki’ at Ogawa-no-Sho, ‘sake’ tasting, and a tea ceremony experience. There is no obligation or expectation that you make additional purchases at any of these venues, but should you wish to, you are welcome to.
• Any purchases made at recommended venues / venues not listed by name in the tour description are not included in the tour price and must be paid for by the guest.